Located hundreds of kilometres away from Orissa’s corridors of power, Koraput mostly evokes images of impoverished tribals dying of starvation or cholera-like epidemic. The added menace of Maoists spreading tentacle in the district since the past six years has made the place a veritable hell. However, this image notwithstanding, since last one year about 300 boys and girls have flocked to Koraput to study anthropology, sociology, English, Oriya and journalism at the Central University there. The university, which a fortnight ago completed a year of its existence and works from a once-dilapidated Central government building, may well be the brightest spot in the Maoist-scarred region.
Since the past few years Koraput has become the new hub of Naxal activity in the state. The series of major rebel attacks in the district, starting with the February 2004 one in which over 1,000 Maoists attacked Koraput town and looted 200 sophisticated guns and other weapons worth Rs 50 crore, has made the district a danger zone. There have been other big attacks in recent times, including the April 2009 raid on public sector aluminium major Nalco’s bauxite mine in Damanjodi in which 10 jawans of the Central Industrial Security Force were killed. This April, 11 policemen, including 10 jawans of the elite Special Operation Group, were blown off by a landmine blast while clearing the road. If such bloodletting in its backyard was not enough, the Central University at Landiguda village near Koraput town faced other daunting challenges as it did not have its own premises and had to take the decrepit building of the Central Silk Board on rent. But its Vice-Chancellor Surabhi Banerjee, currently the senior-most woman V-C in the country, was not deterred by the situation.
“I knew it was a Maoist hotbed. But if the Maoists say they are working for the development of tribals, are we not making an effort towards development too?” asked Banerjee.
Banerjee, who deftly divides her time between Koraput and New Delhi, networking with the HRD Ministry officials for getting more facilities and more teaching disciplines, faced more challenges as the Naveen Patnaik government did not offer much help, despite all verbal assurances. “We had to build everything from the scratch — starting from the building to getting hostels for students. In a place like Koraput there’s hardly any building worth taking on rent. The biggest problem was getting faculty here as the distance and location of the varsity was a deterrent. One has to travel by road or board a train and that means a loss of three days. Several times people from Delhi just don’t come here saying that it’s a backbreaking journey,” said Banerjee.
Despite such challenges, in the first year of its existence 470 students applied for admission to MA courses of which 150 got through. Of these 150, 13 were tribals and 29 Dalits. Incidentally, there were 77 women students compared to 73 men. This year, there are 15 tribal students among the 148.
The university now has its own video-conferencing facility which was used by Sam Pitroda to deliver the first foundation day lecture from New Delhi.
“We have not faced any Maoist threat since the day we came here. It’s been peaceful and a happy time at the university. I was selected for the Indian Institute of Mass Communication at Dhenkanal, but I chose this place as it’s the only university in Orissa offering MA in the subject,” said Sujit Sahoo, a second-year MA Journalism and Mass Communication student at the varsity.
Banerjee has ambitious plans for the university, including its own medical college and hospital. In the past few months, the university has signed a slew of MoUs with eminent institutions for starting courses in health sciences, MBA, MCA, legal education and biodiversity, among several others.
It has signed MoU with the Public Health Foundation of India for establishing a School of Health Sciences where Masters in Public Health Management, nursing sciences and allied health sciences will be taught. Similarly, an MoU with British Council has been signed for a course in spoken English. Another MoU will be signed with Narayana Hrudayalaya, Bangalore, for training in medical and allied health sciences. Banerjee said the trained manpower will be a boon for the ailing healthcare sector in the region. Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi, has extended help in the field of allied sciences. As the university enters its second year, it intends to tie up with the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation for setting up a School of Bio-Diversity and Conservation of Natural Resources, and with the Chennai Institute of Mathematical Studies that will offer a five-year integrated M Sc in Mathematics. From the next academic year, M Sc courses would be offered in information science. Besides, within the next two to three years, the university will shift to its own premises at Sunabeda in Koraput. The campus will be spread across 450 acres.
Keeping in mind the local tribal population, Banerjee is planning a Centre for Tribal Welfare and Communication Development. The university has already conducted courses for tribals in mushroom cultivation.
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